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Old 04-05-2004, 05:42 PM   #74
Orual
Speaker of the Dead
 
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Superbia
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Minas Tirith: Ravion

Ravion frowned as they approached Aeron's home. It was run-down and little more than a hovel. He glanced at the boy, who was determinedly refusing to look at him. What sort of place was this to grow up in?

"I will go in alone. She does not care for strangers," Aeron said as he walked into the house. Ravion, who had stepped forward to accompany him into the house, fell back and went back to Mellonin and Raefindan.

He ran his fingers through Gond's mane, clumsily combing out the knots and tangles. The horse looked at him with liquid brown eyes, and Ravion smiled. "We'll be back on the road soon," he promised in a whisper. Gond bobbed his head, and Ravion leaned against his neck.

Aeron was taking a long time. Ravion, impatient and a little worried, hummed an old Rohirric tune. He had learned it from a young Rohirric soldier he had fought alongside. It was traditional to sing it before a battle: haunting, wistful, in a minor key, it matched his temperment well. He didn't feel like singing it outright yet. This was not a battle. Yet.

Finally Aeron came out, with his younger sister in tow. "Ravion, Raefindan, and Mellonin, this is my sister Gwyllion," he said curtly. Ravion inclined his head politely, but Gwyllion was not paying attention to him. Instead, she was staring with rapt attention at Raefindan.

"His hair is red!" she exclaimed in wonder. Ravion snorted and turned to pretend to adjust something on Gond's saddle to mask his mirth.

Then Gwyllion skipped towards Ravion and curtsied deeply, saying, "Ravion, my brother’s liege."

She curtseyed again, leaving Ravion somewhat bemused. She then went closer to Gond and started stroking his muzzle. With a confused look on his face, Ravion studied her.

His first impression was that she was a little...strange. Very gregarious, to be sure. Open. Innocent. That might be a problem. He'd have to find a way to keep her from talking to everybody they came across. A search mission like this involved lying low and keeping quiet. She was petite, somewhat messy. His eyes went towards her hands, still stroking Gond. A bloodstained bandage was wrapped around one of her fingers.

"Gwyllion, come here," he said, and the girl, with a slight frown, went to him. He found a small bag of bloodmoss and took a pinch out, then unwrapped her bandage slowly, carefully.

"Well-wrapped bandage, Aeron," he said shortly, not looking at Aeron. "Good and tight. Bloodmoss will stop the flow of blood and help healing, though, so it is generally a good idea to put a little in between the bandage and the wound. Hand cuts bleed a lot. Rarely dangerous, but always messy." After putting the herb against the cut, he wrapped the bandage back around Gwyllion's finger.

"There," he said, knotting the bandage. "You can't be so careless," he added in a much rougher voice. He needed to make sure that they would listen to him, and heed what he said. This would not be an easy trip. "Every bit of bloodmoss that I use on you is a bit of bloodmoss that we won't have if something serious happens. I won't fault you for injuries sustained if there is a battle, or an accident. But I will hold you accountable for injuries sustained from carelessness or silliness. I am bringing you for your brother's sake, and I am bringing him for his oath's sake. We are all going for Mellonin's sake. I will not have your carelessness bringing danger onto us. You'll have a lot to learn, and I expect you to be a quick study."

He turned back to Mellonin. "I suggest we put some miles behind us," he said mildly.
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